Woof!

I was making chocolate bark on Tuesday for a couple of my long-distance Valentines when I realized that I had never posted my bark recipe on this blog. The omission HAD to be rectified! Chocolate bark is one of the easiest and most popular gift treats in my kitchen.

I was given the recipe by my neighbor in Hawley, Massachusetts, Philip Keenan. Phil is a selectman, a chef, and a builder—and he’s good at all three jobs. I made the bark a few years back on a Valentine’s Day broadcast on my local public-radio station.

In case you’d care to listen, here’s the link, courtesy of WFCR. (My favorite baritone, Don Freeman, and my favorite pianist, Alice Parker, joined me in the serenade at the end. I couldn’t let Valentine’s Day go by without a love song!)

Feel free to vary this recipe. Tiny jelly beans make nice filler at Easter, and crushed candy canes are Christmas-y, but the cranberries and almonds are my favorite add-in.

As I said on the broadcast, I recommend using the highest quality chocolate you can get. If you can’t handle three double boilers, just use two kinds of chocolate as I did in the picture below and on the radio.

Do not double the recipe unless you have two cookie sheets. I tried doing it on one sheet this week. Although I’m sure my Valentines won’t complain (well, I hope they won’t complain) I thought the layer of chocolate was too thick for optimal flavor and texture.

Butter a cookie sheet. Place the almonds on it, and toast them in a preheated 350-degree oven for 8 minutes. Toss the almonds around on the sheet, sprinkle the salt on them, and toast for an additional 2 minutes.

Remove the nuts from the oven, and put them on a paper towel to drain and cool. When they are cool, sprinkle them on a parchment- or silicone-covered cookie sheet. Sprinkle the cranberries on as well.

In each of three separate double-boiler pans (or their equivalent), boil an inch or two of water. While the water is coming to a boil, separately chop the milk, dark, and white chocolate into fairly uniform pieces. Place each chocolate in a pan on the top of one double boiler, turn off the heat below the boiled water, and stir the chocolates as they melt.

When the chocolates have melted, place alternating teaspoonsful of each on top of the cranberries and almonds. Swirl or splatter them together to make a pleasing pattern. Set the chocolate aside to cool and harden. (Do not refrigerate it.) This is best when eaten within 48 hours.

Makes 16 large or 32 small pieces of bark.

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10 Responses to “Woof!”

Tinky, I’m not much of a candy maker, but this seems like a challenge I might want to face – not for Valentine’s Day, though, since I have my hands full with the blogathon. Thanks for the recipe. And I just had to say that you have a lovely voice!

I’ve been looking for a good bark recipe..this is it! And…I love your little love kettle and heart shaped ramekins…with lids yet! I’m a sucker for cute little ramekins… and yet I never use the ones I have for much it seems…sigh….oh, well…I have them if I need them. Now…I must find heart shaped ones!

Ahhhh! Chocolate in the morning, even if I only get to read about it and see photos! What a way to start the day. Thanks Tinky. I loved the radio spot too, but what really warmed my heart this cold New Mexico morning was seeing a pre-68 Revere Ware double boiler still on duty. The recipe looks like one that I might be able to tackle with some success, and may try it some day when I know I can send the results home with others right away before I’ve had a chance to consume it all myself, which, alas, I could easily do.

Marilyn, I’m sure he’ll save you SOME bark! BumbleVee, I also adore the ramekins, which are from Le Creuset. Jean, giving this bark away fast is indeed essential as it is addictive. And we love the old Revere Ware, too; I think my mother got it when she got married, and it still works just fine.

Heavy work load and trial schedule has kept me away from my favorite bloggers. I loved, loved, loved your article on wallpaper, and the wallpaper itself. I can see how it would glow in the light. It really is lovely and (although I don’t know what you paid for it) well worth the price. I have taken down all the wallpaper from the house except for my master bath and master commode room. I love it too much. You are absolutely correct…it looks as good today as it did when I had it placed 22 years ago. The dining room wallpaper was also put on to stay forever, and took me forever to remove. I started not liking it very much. I also like the white plate rail. Happy Valentines Day, Tinkster!